Rocking Rodney Rat

Thanks, I thought the '48 dash looked a bit overwhelming, but it's growing on me.... -RRR

UPDATE 10/18/20 I got a lot done yesterday so I figured I throw up another update today... Radiator built (obviously for a flathead) with a cut down '32 shell from the AMT Phantom Vickie [sic]... I fabricated the exhaust system, grabbed from the old Testors (not Tim) Boyd's Smoothster, cut it up and put it back as needed, parts were originally chrome plated...once pinned together it fits nicely. I worked on the interior. Door panels are from the Revell '32 sedan. The parts do line up, they look a bit wonky mocked up... Front suspension... Steering... rear panhard bar.... I'm getting pretty close getting this done. I'm in the process of making a gas tank that will be located on the back side of the seat, a few other odds and ends still to be done...thanks for looking... -RRR

Thanks for the kind words, Alan.... -RRR

Time for another update... working on the interior and the rear suspension. Fabbed up the package tray and back wall of the interior. The seat is made from two pieces of the venerable AMT 'T' bucket tub, split between the transmission tunnel. The rear suspension is going to a separate piece that will be attached during final assembly. The main part is from the same frame as the rest of the build, is the '32 frame from the Revell 'A' kits. To build this I attached the frame to the body (with axle and springs to get ride height set) with white glue (that can then be soaked off afterwards, taking it apart) and built the two pieces that will attach to the floor pan assembly. I'm not sure how clear this is.... The next pic shows the two frame pieces glued to the rear frame with a brace super-glued to those two pieces (I was concerned about the frame coming apart once I soaked apart the pieces temporarily held on with the white glue). The brace will be taken off after the frame is separated from the body.

How can you be at two places at once when you're not anywhere at all? I couldn't resist the obscure Firesign Theater reference (most you'll have to look that one up).... -RRR

That's great! When my daughter was young, she used to call "the blue store". -RRR

I was waiting for your update as well (I got sneak peek via text last night)....nice going....having a Jag IRS available at a reasonable price sure would be cool. Maybe Norm at RMCM would be able to make one of these? -RRR

Yeah, I AIM high and then..... I'm working it!!! -RRR

Thanks, Tom. One of the half-round ribs was straightened out, it will all tie together. It's kind of a jigsaw puzzle (with a few pieces missing?).... -RRR

More work on the sport coupe.... The idea for this making a unibody is from a post of a 1:1 car on H.A.M.B. Part of that means that the body is attached directly to the frame and that the floor pan is a structural part of the car. To that end, I braced the floor pan like this... The car will sit very low with the engine sitting up high so as not to hit the ground. The trans/driveshaft tunnel is from an old pro street kit. The exhaust will run down the center of the floor pan.... Thanks for looking. -RRR

I saw a Rolls Royce convertible donked out (seriously) on the highway the other day, I wasn't able to get a pic (I know, then it never happened).... -RRR

I guess I can't go and edit the date on the original post anymore? So anyway, here I'm at the "build the top" part of the build. I started with the top from the recent reissue AMT Mod Rod (in yellow). The side quarter round area is from the AMT '36 Ford rag top. Other pieces of styrene, hacking, slicing, fitting and some putty....

It depends.... -RRR

The first order of business is a chop. All hot rods should have a chop. The doors are very thin, so I decided to back them up with a piece of thin Evergreen sheet sytrene. I traced the image, cut it out leaving extra area for the windows. Glued on, chopped down, the extra plastic makes the chop easier and makes the parts stronger... Next up, assemble the body.... -RRR

Looking good, Gerry -RRR

Alright, alright, alright...I haven't done too many WIPs lately. I just don't seem to have the energy to keep up with one and my typing skills stink. So, here goes... In 1929-1931 model years, henry built a model style called a sport coupe. It was considered by some to be the "poor man's roadster". A sport coupe had a particular style. It was different from a roadster and was different from a cabriolet. So, let's define our terms (in our timeframe, these terms mean slightly different things today). And, someone correct me on this if I'm wrong or missing something, I'm no expert. Roadster an open top car two seater with a fabric retractable top. The windshield was a separate piece from the body (bolted on, or otherwise). There was no side glass. Cabriolet also an open top two seater with the distinction of the windshield frame being an integrated part of the body, again, open top, fabric retractable top. Sport Coupe is a lesser known style. The windshield is part of the body like a cabriolet. The big differences are that the doors have a full window frame and glass. the interior opening is longer (a shorter sail panel, the area behind the trunk) more along the size of a coupe. A coupe with the top cut off is called a coupester (another discussion). A sport coupe also has a fabric top but is is NOT retractable. I figured that a sport coupe would make a good subject for a hot rod. here's a stock 1929 sport coupe: Here's a hot rodded chopped '30/'31sport coupe: My plan is to make one chopped with a rag top (in plastic) and using a '32 frame . This is what I started mocking up. It's really a Heinz 57 of parts and some pieces from different years, but since it has the distinct '29 cowl swoop, I'll call it a '29. The cowl is from the Revell '29 closed cab pickup. The doors are from the Revell '31 sedan (longer than coupe doors) and the rear part is from the recent Revell '30 coupe (the rest of it was made into a pickup body and sent to ADL to see what he could do with it). The rag top is from the AMT recent reissue Mod Rod. That will be all cut up. Part of my idea is a low slung wild ride. I was influenced from a 1:1 hot rod in the H. A. M. B. that is a unibody style which I will attempt to emulate. -RRR

I've always liked the marque, these new designs are horrendous. They seem to be way overpriced nowadays. I had an E36, it get to be very expensive to maintain. I gave it to my daughter and she totaled it (she was unhurt) and the insurance gave me twice what a dealer was offering me on trade-in two years previous! -RRR

Tamiya Silver Leaf TS-30 works well for me... -RRR

Three countries from which automobiles should never be purchased, England, France and Italy.... -RRR

THIS IS GOING TO FUN! Not to hijack your thread, ADL, but I too was influenced by Tim Boyd to build my version of this when the article came out in 1990. I used a Corvette IRS, but did use the same TPI induction as Tim did. I'm not sure where the wheels came from! Ugly now, but the bomb then! I also filled the bed with a subwoofer (a suction cup in a scratched made enclosure) and an amp. Unfortunately, this build has not fared very well, got dropped once by a club member taking it to a show, I put it back together. I snapped a few quick pix today. The white paint has yellowed. It did win Best Use of Graphics in the Pacific NW NNL in Portland OR in 1991. It's survived a few moves....here it is in all it's glory (again, sorry for stomping on our post).... -RRR

Very nicely done! Impressive amount of detail and wiring....-RRR

If you wanted to build a replica, the old Monogram Paddy Wagon show rod would be a starting point.... -RRR

I hate to hear stories like this from small 'operations' that are supposed to be part of our small community. For someone to treat people like this is just wrong. Again, I can verify that Little Motor Kar Co is a stand up operator and does a good job with reasonable return time.... -RRR

X 2 -RRR